Steps to stop head over heels moments

Published on Saturday 24 May 2008 20:17

OVER the years, everything from leaves on the line to the wrong type of snow has been blamed for causing havoc for train passengers.

But now, rail chiefs are blaming high heels for accidents on station concourses and one of Scotland's biggest railway stations is asking women to think twice before wearing stilettos.

Posters at Glasgow Central Station advise female passengers to watch their step and choose footwear carefully.

Network Rail's move has been branded "over-the-top" and an example of an over-zealous health and safety culture, but rail chiefs claim the campaign has reduced accidents.

The posters feature a picture of a woman's shoe alongside the slogan 'How are your heels?' It states that twice as many women than men have been involved in "slips, trips and falls" at the station – and claims "footwear problems" cause many of them.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "Every time someone has a fall we have to fill in a report. An analysis of these reports has shown that women are far more likely than men to be involved in an accident and that high-heeled shoes are often cited as a cause.

"Since the posters have been put up there has been a reduction in the numbers of accidents recorded, which is obviously a positive development." He said the rail operator was also working to target other causes of accidents.

"With men, excessive use of alcohol is often involved. In other cases accidents are caused by people running for trains and not looking where they are going."

One of Scotland's best-known high-heel wearers said nothing would dissuade her from stepping out in stilettos.

Councillor Maxine Smith hit the headlines earlier this year after claiming she had been unfairly denied free parking that would save her walking half a mile in her high heels for meetings with constituents.

The Invergordon-based SNP member, who regularly dons five-inch heels, said: "I would not see any good reason to suddenly swap my high heels before arriving at the station.

"This may well be a case of Network Rail looking for a 'get out' clause in the face of customers submitting less than altruistic insurance claims. If so, it is a sad reflection of the compensation culture in the society in which we live."

Last year there was a backlash when First ScotRail banned running on platforms.

Peter Lawrence, chairman of the independent passengers' group, Railfuture, said at the time: "Health and safety concerns can sometimes go a little too far and this is one of those occasions."